One of the youngest and most dynamic American sprinters on the track circuit today, Michael Blatchford has the potential to become the next great U.S. track rider. After winning a silver medal at the 2004 UCI Junior Track World Championships in the sprint, Michael emerged as a serious contender at the elite level later that season. As an 18-year-old, Michael bested 2004 Olympians Giddeon Massie and Christian Stahl for an elite national title in the sprint. That result officially marked his arrival as a force to be reckoned with on the domestic track cycling scene.

Growing up in Cypress, Calif., where he was homeschooled through high school, Michael's career has been on the upswing since the age of 13. That's when he first discovered the now-defunct velodrome that hosted the track cycling competition at the 1984 Olympic Games. Down the road, Michael became one of USA Cycling's resident athletes at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and continued his progress with his first major international result - a bronze medal in the sprint at the 2006 Los Angeles Track World Cup. He continued his international success the following spring with a gold medal in the sprint at the 2007 Pan American Championships. With an eye on the team sprint event in Beijing, Michael recently teamed with Massie and Adam Duvendeck to set a new national record in the event at the 2008 UCI Track World Championships.

Points of Interest

Michael regularly gives back to his local community, assisting with Boy Scout Bike Rodeo helmet fittings, working as an audio engineer for children's musical productions and visiting with children's hospital patients.

Michael became the first junior to ever win an elite national title on the track with a sprint victory in 2004 at the age of 18.